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When you set a weight loss goal, why are those the last 5 or 10 pounds the hardest to lose? People can get very frustrated, especially if they have made a great deal of progress and can't wait to reach their goal! Here are a few tips that can help you break your plateau and push through to reach your goal weight. It may take extra effort and motivation but it's worth it!

Duration of exercise
You may not be exercising long enough. Try stepping it up to five 45-minute cardio workouts per week. That sounds like a lot of exercise, but it's not forever, just until you reach your goal.

Intensity of exercise
For both cardio and weight training, the key may be to bump up the intensity of your workout. Do this by working at a higher target heart rate on the cardio machines or taking less of a break between weight exercises.

Type of exercise
Change up your exercise so your body doesn't plateau. Your body gets used to something and stops being as affected by the workout.

Good nutrition
You can exercise more than anyone else at the gym, but if you’re eating too much, the weight isn’t going to come off. 24 Hour Fitness trainers work with clients to develop meal plans – based on their food preferences, metabolism and activity level – to create a calorie deficit in order to lose weight

Hoodia, Phentramine, Ephedra…

I have a strict policy of not ingesting things I can’t say nor spell correctly on the first try. This is definitely something you want to keep in mind next time you’re in the diet pill section of the grocery store. They all start out with promises of amazing weight loss, then next thing you know people are dropping like flies. Remember Metabolife? I was one allowance payout from buying that stuff. Diet pills have all kinds of hidden dangers, even the ones that are FDA approved.

Diet pills are the first stop on the way to yo-yo dieting. Not only that, but read the fine print. The side effects alone should be enough to deter you from taking them.

Yes, I want to lose 5 lbs but I would hold on to them rather than:

• high blood pressure
• heart palpitations and irregular heartbeats
• dizziness
• blurred vision
• headaches
• insomnia
• anxiety
• depression
• nose bleeds
• uncontrollable bowel movements

Now that I’ve scared you, you should also know that not all “diet pills” are evil. There are supplements out there that really are beneficial in helping you with your weight loss. As with most things involving weight loss, get the green light from your doctor before incorporating supplements into your diet.

On the road to your ideal weight, plateaus are inevitable. Lowering your caloric intake for a period of three to six months causes dieters to hit weight loss plateau. However, this is no cause for alarm, especially when you know what causes it how to get your weight loss goals back on track.

Our bodies are designed to compensate for a drop in calories. When you start lowering your caloric intake the body is thrown into a state of confusion, not knowing if you’re dieting or in a food deprived state. To counter act this the body responds by lowering the calories required for daily energy. The result? The body burns fewer calories, preventing further weight loss in most people.

Fat is one of the most difficult things to fight! Many people struggle with lowering their body fat, now you can get a little help with battling the bulge. Apex has a 1, 2, 3, knockout fat program that uses carefully engineered supplements to help you knock out fat once and for all!

As you continue to gain weight, “messages” get sent out telling your body to look for more storage areas. This is where the real trouble begins. Your body starts to store fat in vital organs such as your heart and liver. The only way to break this nasty cycle is to lose weight. These 3 supplements may help you do that!

Jealous of people born with a fast metabolism? Here are 5 natural ways to boost your metabolism and keep your body burning food fuel efficiently.

1. Build more muscle. This doesn't mean you need to bulk up, (unless you want to) but doing three 30-45 minute total body strength training sessions each week will help raise your metabolism. Muscle burns fat and increases your resting metabolic rate over time. Plus, each time you strength train, your metabolism will be raised for the next 24 hours.
2. Be more active! In addition to strength training, do some cardio. 30-40 minutes 4 to 5 days each week is best. If you can't get to the gym that often, then make sure to do things like walk to the bank, take the stairs, and park in the far corner of the lot. Little things add up to more calories burned and any physical activity speeds up the metabolism.
3. Don't skip meals or fast. It may seem smart to skip meals and save calories, but this can slow your metabolism. Eat a healthy breakfast each morning, even if it's just a banana and plain yogurt, to kick start your metabolism. Continue eating small meals throughout the day and your body will keep on burning food fuel.
4. Drink more water! 96 ounces each day is ideal. Just keep a water bottle with you all the time and sip some H2o every 15 to 20 minutes. It can raise your metabolism a little and every little bit helps!
5. Get enough sleep. When you are well rested, your body has enough energy to perform daily functions such as metabolizing food. When you don't get enough sleep, your body is too exhausted to efficiently process carbs and other food you eat. What a great reason to get some zzz's.

People who are overweight often have a few things in common. Namely, they have been practicing bad health habits for many years. Here are seven typical habits of overweight people:

1. NO REGULAR EXERCISE ~ try to get at least 2 to 3 days of cardio in a week and 2 to 3 days of resistance training.
2. EATING OUT TOO OFTEN ~ restaurant portions are often huge and cooked with lots of oil. If you eat out, make sure to take at least half home!
3. SAYING YES TO SECONDS ~ don’t say yes to a second portion until you give yourself 20 minutes to decide if you are full from the first helping.
4. AVOIDING EVEN THE LIGHTEST ACTIVITY ~ make an effort to take the stairs and get outside and walk a little during breaks at work.
5. NEVER SAYING NO TO SWEETS ~ when you crave something sweet eat a little bit of candy or whatever, but don't eat dessert just because it's there.
6. EATING WHEN NOT TRULY HUNGRY ~ we often eat to satisfy emotional needs, so find other ways to brighten your mood besides food.
7. SKIPPING MEALS ~ skipping meals can lead to overeating later in the day so try to eat several small meals throughout the day.

The number of calories you consume daily plays a very significant roll in how much you weigh. If you are not taking in the right amount of calories for your body, you will have a hard time achieving your fitness goals. So, how do you figure out how many calories you need?

There is actually a simple formula. Your total calories needs are made up of your resting energy needs, called basal metabolism, plus the calories you use during various activities. You need to know your weight in kilograms for this formula.

Nutrition plays a major roll when it comes to getting fit and staying fit. You can exercise for hours every day, but if your diet is not balanced and comprised of nutritious foods, or if you are consuming more calories than you burn, achieving your fitness goals will be very difficult. So how can you tell how many calories you are eating each day and how many calories you’re burning? 24 Hour Fitness offers an easy way for members to track their food intake online. When you are working with a personal trainer, they can set you up with a custom account so you can use the online calorie management program by Apex. Many members purchase The bodybugg, an arm band that takes the guess work out of weight loss. It monitors your calorie expenditure and calorie intake, then let’s you know if you need to move more or eat less to achieve your nutritional goals for that day. When you buy a bodybugg, you can also use the bodybugg web program along with the calorie management program to track your exercise and food intake. Click the link below for more info ...

I took THE BEST CARDIO KICK BOXING CLASS I've ever taken at the 24 Hour Fitness in Hollywood. I used to teach kick boxing in college ... so it's hard for me to find a class I think is top notch. Well, not only did I get my booty kicked by the magnificently motivating SKIP JENNINGS ... but this gifted instructor also made the class really entertaining and fun. The music was GREAT ... he clearly has a following of regulars because everyone seemed to know and love him. The class was 60 minutes total and ended an ab workout. My ham strings were super sore and so were my shoulders ... it was a KILLER total body workout that flew by in a flash. To see the results of my first few days logging my food intake ... click the link below. 

24 Hour Fitness is continuing its relationship with the hit TV show, The Biggest Loser for its 5th consecutive season! The theme of the show this year brings couples together to compete for The Biggest Loser title and a grand prize of $250,000. To coincide with this theme, 24 Hour Fitness will encourage its members to hit the gym in pairs. During the month of February, 24 Hour Fitness is offering The Biggest Loser Couples Training Program. This will give members a chance to workout with a friend or loved one at a special promotional rate, while still offering all the benefits of a private session. To find out more click the link below.